Change Of Heart
by KittyCat8192
Summary: A story of a hidden romance, action, and snakes around every corner. When two people love each other, how far will they go to protect the one they love? Will secrets come to light? Read and find out!
1. Prologue

**CHANGE OF HEART**

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters within the story; they all belong to the creative minds of Renaissance Pictures and Starz. I did borrow dialogue and scenes from the show.

A/N: Welcome to my first multi-chapter story! As noted above, many scenes will be familiar to you because I borrowed them from the show as well as some dialogue. I wanted to embellish some of the details and elaborate on more things between the characters. Take note that things will happen differently or with different characters. I will enjoy any and all feedback, especially on any action or smut scenes! I've never written either before and would like all the advice I can get so I can improve. Thank you for your time and hope you enjoy!

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 **PROLOGUE: First Impressions**

Lucretia is frantic as she moves about the room, cursing herself silently for not rising when expected of her. She strips of her night clothing while Melitta runs a soaked cloth across her face, then down her arms and taps her shoulder letting her know to raise her arms. She rubs underneath her arms and under her breasts. Lucretia grabs a brush and begins to run it through her long brown hair while Melitta cleans between her legs.

"Fuck me..." she says as the brush is caught in a snag. Melitta sighs and sets the bowl of water and cloth down and grabs the brush from her hands.

"Let me do this, Domina." she says as she continues running the brush through Lucretia's hair, removing all traces of sleep from her curly locks. "Which dress do you desire to wear today?"

"I wish to wear the blue one." Lucretia points as Melitta continues to calm her with her brushing. "That vile man loathes me enough as is and yet I add oil to the fire..."

Melitta pauses for a moment before speaking. "If I may speak mind, Domina?" she asks, setting the brush down to begin styling Lucretia's hair. Lucretia pats her gently on the hand.

"It is only I here with you, Melitta. Speak what plagues you."

"Master Batiatus may rule over house but he is a fool to not see your worth... One can only be cornered for so long before striking with vengeance," she says, slightly afraid she has spoken too much. Lucretia thinks of the plan she has already set in motion against her father-in-law and gives pause before replying.

"Yes. Truth spills from your lips and is much appreciated. Gratitude for your praise," she smiles at her trusted body slave. She then frowns as her thoughts become more troublesome. "He bares weight on Quintus's shoulders and mind with decision to remove me from home or not, even more so due to my inability to produce a child. He wishes Gaia's belongings removed from our home. He wants no trace of her left behind and I will not have her erased from memory." She thinks of her closest friend and her blue eyes fill with tears that she cannot keep at bay. Melitta is finished with her hair and she stands so she can be dressed for the day. She steps into the dress as Melitta pulls it up her body and rests the straps on her shoulders. Naevia is across the room straightening the linens on the bed as she tries not to listen to the conversation playing out before her.

"We will tell them belongings have been removed even in absence of the deed. Naevia will attest if questioned." Melitta says as she comes to stand in front of her and dries her tears with a cloth. Lucretia squeezes her shoulder in affection.

"Gratitude." She sniffs.

The two slaves finish preparing her for the morning, adorning her with jewelry and scented oils. Lucretia smooths her hands over her gown and takes a deep breath to steel her nerves. "Come," she says as she walks out of the room and travels to the balcony that overlooks the training grounds, joining her husband and father-in-law. The smell of sweat and dust hangs heavily in the air. "Apologies for the hour of my rising. Sleep came with difficulty last night." she explains.

"Your absence was not noticed," Titus says with contempt. Lucretia grits her teeth and forces a smile to her face.

"Yet the apology still stands," she said.

"A noble gesture that is much appreciated," Quintus said, giving her encouragement. This doesn't placate Titus as he turns and says, "The mulsum more so." It takes all her power not to roll her eyes.

"Let me fill your cup," she says as she moves to pour him a cup of wine. Oenomaus calls the next match.

"Duratius! Crixus! Take position!" he commands. Crixus breathes deeply as he is equipped with a practice sword and shield. As he walks to take his position, he looks to the balcony and catches the eye of the younger Batiatus, hoping to impress. He also takes in the sight of the beautiful wife at his side. He gets into stance as he awaits the command to start. "Begin!" Oenomaus yells.

He feints forward as he watches his opponent. Duratius also feints forward and Crixus lunges towards him, bringing his blade down in a fast swipe and hits Duratius's sword with his shield. He immediately ducks beneath the sword swiping above his head and tries to land a blow on his opponent, but Duratius rolls out of the way. Crixus charges forward again, raining fierce blows upon Duratius and manages to land a hard kick to his leg that causes him to fall. Lucretia has taken a mild interest in the Gaul as she watches him fight. "Gaia favored him from first sight," she speaks softly. Naevia steps onto the balcony and brings news of an unwanted arrival to the villa in the form of Tullius. She is instantly enraged. "What is that man doing in our house?" she questions.

"My house," Titus states matter of factly. "He comes in response to invitation," he says as he takes leave. She looks to Quintus and sees his barely controlled rage as obscenities begin to fall from his lips. "You do nothing to stop him! Save lay blame where none should rest!" she states.

"I'm a fool in such regard. Allowing frustration to strip sense from tongue," he tries to explain.

She regards him coolly. "And spilling truth as consequence," she says referring to his words from the previous night.

"I would not hurt you!" he exclaims truthfully. She says nothing as she turns her attention back to the fight below. Duratius is swinging his hammer with all his might against Crixus, who in turn is successfully blocking every blow with his shield. Crixus swings his sword down against the hammer and swipes it towards Duratius's head, which misses as he ducks.

"You desire a son of your own," she says softly. "To carry your name and make you proud. I would do anything to give you such a treasure."

Quintus glances at her as he speaks. "I must give him my answer tomorrow. It is too late for such dreams," he says quietly. Lucretia feels her panic begin to rise as she looks back down to the fight just in time to see Crixus throw Duratius over his shoulder and onto the ground, pointing the sword at his throat. The men cheer as he raises his arms in victory and turns to the balcony with his sword raised in honor. Lucretia looks at Crixus and knows what she must do.

"It is never too late when will is set to purpose!" she says desperately.

Later that night after Quintus and Titus leave the villa, Lucretia decides to go through with her idea and sends Melitta to fetch the Gaul from the ludus. She starts pacing nervously in the room, wringing her hands together. _**I don't know if I can do this...lowering myself to fuck a filthy slave,**_ she thinks to herself. She lets out a sigh and mutters to herself, "Remove thoughts from mind...the purpose is clear. No more, no less than what needs to be done." Melitta and the guard that escorted her soon return with Crixus in tow. He looks around the room as Lucretia finally stops her pacing and looks at him. He walks across the room to stand before her. "Leave us." Lucretia speaks to Melitta. Melitta gives her a questioning gaze and Lucretia tilts her head almost shamefully, revealing what she intends to do. Melitta nods as she turns and exits the room and closes the doors behind her, the guard following. Left alone, they don't speak as they take each other in.

She finally breaks the silence. "You are a Gaul, are you not?"

"Yes, Domina." he answers.

"Many believe the seed of a Gaul to rival Jupiter himself. Tell me, how many sons sprang from your father's cock?" she asks as she circles him like a piece of meat.

"Five, Domina," he responds.

"And from his father before him?"

"The same," he says as she stops directly in front of him.

"Your subligaria. Remove it," she demands. He does as he is told and drops the cloth to the ground, presenting himself. Lucretia takes quick notice of his size and averts her gaze. "You are never to speak of this. Do you understand?" she said, the insinuating threat lingering in the air.

"Yes, Domina."

She pauses for a brief moment to collect herself. "Well, I will not look upon you. The sight turns stomach," she says with disgust and turns around and bends over the bed. She pulls her gown up and the pit in her stomach grows as she is disgusted with herself for becoming wet at the sight of his large cock. "Enter me. And do not cease until you have spilled seed," she commands.

Crixus swallows back his pride as he is feeling shameful because he is being used like this, yet he cannot help the hardening of his cock at the sight of her presenting herself to him. He slowly strokes himself as he walks to her and grabs her hips while he pushes slowly into her. He groans at the feeling of her tight walls surrounding him as it's been too long since he has held a woman. He keeps a steady pace, fully pulling out and slamming back into her. Lucretia is torn about what to feel as she doesn't know if she wants to cry out in the pleasure that she feels or cry in shame because of her treachery and humiliation. She bites her lip to keep the moans at bay. He speeds up his thrusts, making her unintentionally gasp loudly. Something deep within him wants to hear more sounds coming from her, wants to hear her scream in pleasure. He begins to pound into her harder and more harshly, making her cry out with every thrust of his hips.

"Ohhhhh!" she moans loudly as she clenches around him, climaxing. He thrusts a few more times before he cums, spilling his seed inside of her. They both take a moment to catch their breath and Lucretia hastily steps away from him and pulls her dress back down. She picks up his subligaria and throws it at him, which he promptly puts back on. She grits her teeth as she is trying to keep her composure.

"Get out," she says harshly. He bows his head.

"Yes, Domina," he says, and slowly starts walking out of the room. He grows nervous at the thought that she could change her mind and say that he forced himself upon her. He would be castrated and crucified. He pushes the doors open and sees Melitta standing by the doorway, her eyes glued to the floor. He doesn't look at her as she leads him back to the ludus.

As soon as the doors close, Lucretia sits on the bed and begins to weep silently. She is overcome with emotions. Shame, being one of them, because she has to resort to fucking a slave in order to keep her place beside her husband, lust and disbelief that the Gaul slave brought her such pleasures, and violent rage directed towards her father-in-law because he is the reason she has to do any of this in the first place. Her racing thoughts come to an end as she composes herself and speaks aloud.

"When mind is set to purpose, anything is within reach," she sniffs. She stands and begins walking out of the room and goes to prepare her father-in-law's honeyed wine.


	2. Chapter 1: Twisted Web

**CHANGE OF HEART**

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters within the story; they all belong to the creative minds of Renaissance Pictures and Starz. I did borrow dialogue and scenes from the show

A/N: Here it is! Chapter one is all set and ready to go. I'm trying not to rely too heavily on scenes from the show but I feel as though they are very important to how these characters developed. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

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 **CHAPTER ONE: TWISTED WEB**

 _FIVE YEARS LATER..._

 _ **A lot can change when given to time**_ , Lucretia reflects as she lounges in a chair in a guest room. Gannicus lost position of Champion to Crixus and was sold to Tullius. Her plan for vengeance was achieved but at a cost. While Quintus was away, she came clean to Titus about what she had been doing to him for years, poisoning his cherished honeyed wine. She had just given him a cup with a lethal dosage within it and he choked to death on his own blood before her very eyes. She couldn't have been happier.

The happiness was short lived as she strolled from his chamber and saw Gannicus carrying Melitta's lifeless body. Shock coursed through her veins as she raced to them and asked what happened. Gannicus told her it was the wine Melitta drank and that's when she realized the consequences of her actions. A life for a life. She lost someone she respected that night. She made sure the secret stayed buried, not even Quintus knows what happened that night. Gaia's death was also avenged due to her adding the poison to the wine Tullius brought as a gift. Quintus, Oenomaus, and Gannicus saw to it that he would never draw breath again.

She and Quintus had a higher status and had more wealth, but not nearly as much as they desired. They've put so much work into the gladiators and it still isn't enough. People of higher status still look down upon them like they were covered in shit. She sighs as she shifts to get more comfortable, while glancing at the guard that is standing at the door. _**Sometimes I wish they would just piss off**_ , she muses to herself, knowing that can never be. Quintus wouldn't allow that as he assures that it's for her safety. He left the villa to travel to town so he could wage coin in hopes of gaining more, something she doesn't exactly agree with. Quintus allows her tongue to move freely but even she realizes there are limits when voicing her thoughts.

Her thoughts then turn to the Champion of Capua; Crixus. His victories have continued to give them a steady flow of coin and he has proven himself worthy of that title. Even though she has continued to lie with Crixus, she still has not bared a child. _**My womb must be cursed**_ , she thinks sadly to herself. She banishes all thoughts from her head as the doors to the guest room opened, revealing Naevia and Crixus being escorted by a guard. She walks to them and stands directly in front of Crixus. She lets her eyes travel over him, taking in his short brown hair and strong jaw. His well-defined chest glistens in the sunlight streaming in from the window and his muscles ripple with every slight movement he makes. She nods to Naevia and the guards. "Leave. Naevia, see to it that a bath is prepared for when I am finished."

"Yes, Domina," she says and follows the guards out of the room. The doors are barely closed before Crixus seizes her wrists and pins her roughly into the wall, kissing her passionately. He holds her wrists with one hand while the other pulls down the front of her dress exposing her round breasts for his enjoyment. He gropes a breast in his hand, gently caressing it as he breaks the kiss and moves his lips to her neck. Lucretia tilts her head slightly to give him better access and closes her eyes with a sigh of pleasure, relishing the feeling of his lips upon her neck. "I've missed you," she says with a smile.

"I've missed you too," he says between kisses on her neck. He removes his hand from her breast and brings it up to cup her cheek. "It's been at least a moon since we last met. It drives me mad when I can't see your bright smile or feel your flesh upon mine," he confesses as he looks into her cool, blue eyes.

"I'm sorry we've had to wait so long. Quintus has to be occupied elsewhere in order for us to meet. Now, we must make up for the time lost," she says fervently as she captures his lips fiercely, lightly biting his bottom lip. He responds by lifting her up into his arms and she squeals in delight at being carried. He walks over to the bed and lays her down, covering her body with his own. "I'll see to it that time is not wasted," he says as he presses his lips to hers in a bruising kiss.

She and Crixus have been romantically involved for three years now. What started out as a means to an end, ended up as something more. Somewhere along the way, they began to have feelings for one another. It's been an ongoing struggle with her heart for she still loves Quintus and yet she loves Crixus. They keep up the appearance that they forged all those years ago: he is just a slave that she is using. Not many know of their dealings, just a few guards, Naevia, and unfortunately Barca, for he figured it out. However, none know about their feelings for one another. They don't know that sometimes they just sit and talk, holding each other. They don't know about the fast beating of the heart when one is near the other or the passion that engulfs them when they join together. It's their little secret.

The following day finds Lucretia and Quintus sitting in the balcony of the arena with the senator, Solonius, and Glaber and his wife, Illithya, to watch the games. They watch as Solonius' men crush each Thracian captive, one by one. At last, the last man walks into the arena, facing the gladiator awaiting him, with determination. Suddenly, the gates open and reveal three more gladiators walking into the arena to take position. The crowd immediately begins to boo, showing their disagreement at the odds. Glaber assures the senator that the Thracian has served a huge dishonor to Rome by causing a large desertion and the senator allows the fight to continue. Lucretia looks on as the Thracian is losing the battle. The gladiators have managed to get him to the ground and greatly wound him. She turns her head, disinterested now that the fight is over. She begins to ask Quintus a question when, suddenly, the Thracian rises from the ground like a raging bull and strikes the gladiator completely through to the hilt of his sword. The crowd is sent into a frenzy at the bloodshed as he takes down each gladiator. By the end of the carnage, they demand that he live. Glaber wants him dead and the senator doesn't believe it to be a sound idea. Just as the argument was growing in volume, Quintus speaks up and offers to buy the man, much to her surprise.

Glaber and the senator agree to this proposal, believing the man would not last long at the house of Batiatus. "What name does the man carry?" the senator asks.

"I never cared to ask," Glaber responds coldly. Quintus has just the right name for him.

"Spartacus." The senator announces that he will be granted life and the crowd begins to chant his name.

Later that night, Lucretia is standing near a bone-dry empty pool and looks up to the opening above it, praying for rain. "The pool is dry," she states as Quintus walks past her.

"Yes. We need rain."

"Money would also see it filled."

"We need that too," Quintus replies. Lucretia is beginning to become irritated.

"How fares your new pet?"

"He breathes," came the short reply. She cannot keep the irritation from lacing her words.

"His cost was enough for us to fill our pool for a month. You paid beyond the asking!" she fumes.

"I paid his worth, Lucretia." They walk into the bedroom and the slaves begin preparing them for bed. He shows a letter from Glaber, announcing his visitation to the villa in two days. Both grow excited from the thought of securing his patronage due to Quintus taking care of his problem in the form of Spartacus. Quintus completes his undress and Lucretia notes, as she lounges on the bed, his growing erection.

"Hmm. Desires well nudged," she says in a pleased tone.

"There's yet more stroking needed," he says as he begins to rub his hardening cock. Lucretia gives the slave nearby a look and she drops to her knees and begins servicing him. Naevia begins stroking her, prepping her for her husband. They begin to fantasize about what their lives will be like should they succeed in their plan. Lucretia pushes Naevia's hand away and stands and walks to Quintus, backing him against the wall as their tongues meet and fight for dominance. He spins her around, changing their positions.

He fondles her breast as he kisses her neck while she moves against him, panting in delight. He kisses her deeply and pushes her leg up as he says, "May the Gods bless us with good fortune..." and swiftly enters her as she gasps in pleasure...

Desires sated, they dine on cheese and what little wine they have left. Lucretia only has one glass and leaves the rest to Quintus, who has worked up a thirst. They lie down and Quintus has passed out as soon as his head rest against the pillow. She waits for but a moment before slipping out of bed and walking out of the room, Naevia follows behind. She doesn't acknowledge the two guards by the doors as she turns to Naevia and whispers, "Fetch Crixus for me. Bring him to guest room as before."

"Yes, Domina." Naevia bows and turns to make her way to the ludus. Lucretia lets out a breath before continuing to the guest bedroom, one of the guards following behind. She moves to the window and looks to the stars as she awaits Crixus's arrival.

Crixus was not expecting to see her so soon and was delighted when Naevia came for him in the ludus. He steps into the room as Naevia closes the doors behind him. Lucretia turns from the window, facing him with a smile upon her lips as he walks to her and envelopes her within his arms. "Do not take words as complaint, but how did you manage to meet? Dominus is still present, is he not?" Lucretia lays her head against his chest and sighs deeply.

"Quintus filled his belly with wine. Sleep found him very quickly. I just wanted to set eyes upon you for I seek an ear to give voice to frustrations," she says as she pulls away from his embrace.

As she turns, he notices the light scratches on her back and narrows his eyes, jealousy consuming him. She looks to him and notices where his gaze has fallen. "Crixus..."she says as she turns back to him and wraps her arms around his neck and attempts to catch his eyes. He avoids her gaze and stares at the floor. "Look at me," she softly says and he does as requested with a sigh. "I thought you used to this by now." She says quietly. "I'm his wife and have duties to fulfill."

He takes a deep breath and releases it before speaking. "I am. Just... Just the mere thought of anyone else touching you, even him, makes my blood boil like lava. I cannot remove thought from head." Lucretia begins to lightly stroke his face.

"I wish it didn't have to be this way, Crixus." He nods at her words and mentions that she wanted to unleash frustrations. She begins speaking as she releases him and paces the floor. "I still cannot fathom why Quintus bought that worthless, Thracian bastard!" she says furiously. "No water in the pool for a moon and this is what he does?" she shakes her head in disbelief.

"Quintus calmed rage enough to tell me Glaber will visit in two days' time. He wishes for us to gain favor with the man and I agree with him."

"Maybe the Thracian will prove himself worthy and begin to earn coin for the House of Batiatus," he suggests as he grabs her hand to stop her pacing.

"He brings nothing but sorrow. I can feel it deep within chest."

He pulls her in for an intimate embrace and holds her tightly. "You worry for nothing, Lucretia. The dog begins training tomorrow and Oenomaus will teach him to bend to the will of our Dominus and Domina." He leans down to press his lips against hers in a sweet kiss.

"Perhaps you're right." She says as she pulls her lips away and grabs his hand. "I must return to bed. I will see you soon," she says while giving his hand a gentle squeeze. He squeezes back and releases her hand as he begins to exit the room, looking over his shoulder and throwing her a smile before opening the doors and sees Naevia waiting to escort him back to the ludus. Lucretia sends a silent prayer to the Gods, hoping that Spartacus will bring them great fortune and not misery as her gut feels. Prayer complete, she walks out of the room and makes her way back to her bedroom hoping she manages to find rest.


	3. Chapter 2: Secret Rendezvous

_**CHANGE OF HEART**_

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters within the story; they all belong to the creative minds of Renaissance Pictures and Starz. I did borrow dialogue and scenes from the show.

A/N: Hello, and welcome back to Change Of Heart! The deeper we get into the story, the more things start to change, save for some important moments. I hope you will stick with me for the ride! Read on!

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 **CHAPTER TWO: SECRET RENDEZVOUS**

The next morning, all the men are busy with training and the sun shines harshly down upon them as they practice. Oenomaus gets their attention with a sudden crack of his whip. "Get into your appropriate groups!" he yells. The men split into two groups: The gladiators line up beneath the balcony and the recruits line up across the middle of the grounds. Oenomaus addresses the recruits. "Attend your master!" he commands as Quintus and Lucretia step onto the balcony. Quintus speaks to the recruits and welcomes them to prove themselves that they are worthy of the gladiator title. Should they not be, they will die where they stand or in the mines. Oenomaus would like to show a demonstration and looks to Quintus for approval. He nods his head, giving permission. "Crixus! Practice swords." Pietros quickly fetches the swords and hands one to Crixus the other to Oenomaus. Crixus grips the wooden sword tightly, relishing the adrenaline that starts to course through his veins.

"Prove us wrong, Spartacus." Oenomaus says as he throws the sword at his feet. Spartacus kicks the sword away with his foot and stands in defiance. Oenomaus taunts him, calling him a coward, as Pietros hands him a real sword and hurls it at Spartacus' feet, the sharp blade piercing the hard ground. Still, Spartacus refuses to pick up the sword and Oenomaus turns to face the balcony. He lets Quintus know that there is nothing he can do to train Spartacus and he should just be sent to the mines.

Spartacus inhales deeply before grabbing the sword and tumbles to try to attack Oenomaus while his back is turned. Crixus had been watching every move Spartacus made and knew what he was going to do. He charges him from the side, blocking the hit with his sword and kicks him to the sand. Spartacus doesn't have time to pick himself up before Crixus advances on him, violently swinging his sword. Spartacus is deflecting all the blows until he leaves an opening and Crixus knocks him to the ground with a hit to the chest. All the men begin laughing at the poor display of the Thracian.

Lucretia watches the demonstration with amusement. She watches as Spartacus attempts to lunge at Crixus only to have him deflect the oncoming blow and make one of his own to Spartacus's back that sends him to his knees. Crixus turns to the balcony to seek out Lucretia's eyes and found she was already looking for his. _**She looks radiant**_ he thinks, taking note of how the green dress plays off of her smooth, pale skin and how her fire red hair stands out even more. She smirks at him as he opens his arms in show of victory. Spartacus begins to rise and charges Crixus from behind, hoping to catch him off guard. Crixus turns and lands a hit to his stomach and throws him to the ground like waste.

Lucretia watches his muscles ripple with every movement and longs to run her hand across the muscular flesh. She feels herself become flushed with arousal, the dampness between her legs making her squirm. **Oh, how I love to watch him.** She thinks lustfully. She must meet with him tonight.

 _ **The Thracian fights like a woman**_ Crixus laughs to himself and walks towards the recruits. Everything happens as if in slow motion; Spartacus hurls his sword at Crixus and he turns around in time to knock the sword from its path and straight into the neck of one of the recruits. His neck is deeply slashed and he bleeds profusely as he falls to the ground. The gladiators immediately roar with laughter at the turn of events. Spartacus is in disbelief that he just caused a man's death and doesn't move as Crixus charges at him and grabs him around the neck and pushes him to the ground, sitting on top of his chest with the practice sword to his throat.

Spartacus refuses to surrender and Oenomaus gives order to bash his head in. _**With great pleasure**_ Crixus thinks as he prepares to deliver a mighty blow to his opponent's head. "Crixus!" his Dominus's voice thunders out. He halts his movement and looks to the balcony and his master shakes his head at him saying no.

"Yes, Dominus." he says as he obeys and moves away from Spartacus.

Lucretia can do nothing but watch in disbelief and says, "He tries to kill your best man, and yet you let him live?" Quintus claims that he spares his life because Glaber will arrive tomorrow, and he may need Spartacus to secure their patronage. He gives her a quick kiss on the lips and takes his leave. As he walks away, she turns back to look below and sees Crixus watching her. She smirks as they watch each other, conveying a silent message to one another.

 _ **Meet with me tonight?**_ Crixus says with his gaze.

 _ **I look forward to it.**_ She responds back as she lifts a brow and saunters off, Crixus watching the sway of her hips until he can no longer see her.

Lucretia walks back inside the villa and cannot shake off her arousal. **I cannot take this any longer** "Go and fetch the bowl of water from this morning so I can freshen up." she orders Naevia.

"Yes, Domina." she says as she walks away. Lucretia watches her for a moment making sure she was out of sight and then quickly marches to the room where all the clean linens are kept. She steps into the room and closes the door behind her, leaning heavily against it.

She runs her hand across her breasts and starts cupping them through her dress. She lifts her dress up enough for her to get her hand beneath the layers and rubs her hand against her cunt. She can feel the moisture soaking through her loincloth and pushes it to the side and inserts two fingers inside of her heat. She moans and squeezes her breasts as she begins a rapid pace with her fingers. She throws her head back, gasping in pleasure, against the door and let her imagination take over. She imagines what Crixus will do to her tonight.

Will he be gentle or will he be rough? Will he fuck her until she screams to the heavens? She imagines his muscles flexing as he moves inside of her. She begins to pant as she moves her fingers faster, curling them upward until she finds her spot. Within moments she groans in pleasure as she climaxes. She stands there for a moment attempting to compose herself and pulls her fingers from within herself. She grabs a cloth nearby and wipes her hand with it, tossing it to the floor when she is finished. She smoothed her dress out and takes one final breath as she opens the door and steps out of the room and starts casually walking to her bedroom.

"Domina! I have been searching for you." Naevia exclaims as she walks up to Lucretia, worry written on her face. "Apologies for not being in position. I-" Lucretia cuts her off with a hand placed on her shoulder and gives it a squeeze.

"Do not fret, Naevia. For it was I that left you. I wished for a moment to myself." she explains gently. Naevia takes note of her Domina's flushed chest and cheeks and knows what she was up to.

She gives her a small smile. "I have everything ready for us to freshen you up, Domina."

"Wonderful." she says as they walk into the bedroom.

Hours later, when night has fallen, Lucretia sits up in bed. She looks over to Quintus, who is slightly snoring, sleep weighing heavily on him due to wine, yet again. Her lips quirk upwards and she shakes her head as she affectionately runs her hand lightly over his head. She slips out of bed and wakes Naevia who is asleep nearby. They walk quietly out of the room, closing the doors behind them as they do. She nods at the two guards standing by the doors and turns to them and instructs that they do not follow this time. "But our orders-" one tries to object.

She turns a steely gaze upon him and harshly whispers, " **I** have given you new order and you will do **exactly** as instructed or I will remove you from position, understood?"

"Yes, ma'am." they both say in unison.

"Good." she says and turns to walk to her destination. "Naevia, bring him to the recesses by the north wall."

"Yes, Domina." she hurries off to do as told. Lucretia continues walking until she comes to a very dark corner near two columns. Upon first sight, it looks just how it is-a dark corner of a wall. However, when you walk towards it, you can see light coming from deep within the recesses. It leads to a private, spacious area with a small opening in the roof; allowing moonlight to stream through so one is not blinded by the darkness. There is enough furniture to provide basic comfort—a simple couch adorned with plush pillows sitting against the wall, an intricately carved chair and a small table set near the middle of the room and a few long forgotten statues placed in the corners of the room. She strolls forward until she reaches the area, the moonlight flooding the room with a soft light. She sits down in the chair and looks up through the hole at the shining stars of the night.

Crixus and Barca are speaking outside of Barca's cell. "That Thracian fuck tried to kill me. I pray that I can sever his head from shoulders one day. "He says angrily. Barca agrees and leans against his cell door.

"That day may come yet when the recruits are tested on skill to prove worthy of the mark of Batiatus. He lacks discipline and honor. He will fail." Crixus looks around Barca and sees Pietros in deep sleep on the bed.

"I see your boy is exhausted." He states with a chuckle.

Barca laughs along with him, "I saw to it that he was satisfied." Their conversation is interrupted as a guard appears and tells Crixus he is being summoned. Crixus fakes a sigh of contempt and Barca claps a hand on his shoulder. "Looks like it's your turn to satisfy." He grins in humor.

Crixus shrugs his hand off of his shoulder. "Cocksucker." He says as he follows the guard from the cells, Barca's laughter following him.

Naevia stands by the bars awaiting his arrival and ponders the situation as she waits. **I feel sorry for him being used in this way. Not many slaves can handle it.** She thinks about her lost friend, Diona, at that moment. **Thank the Gods that Domina chose me to be her personal body slave. I never want to end up like Diona…** her thoughts trail off as Crixus and the guard appears and he steps through the door once opened by the guard. He follows her as she moves up the stairs, neither speaking to one another as their thoughts are occupied. They move deeper within the villa until they come upon a darkened corner.

His brows furrow in confusion as he asks, "Why did we stop here?"

"Follow me, please." Naevia said as she begins walking forwards into the darkness. He can soon see light off in the distance. They go about twenty more paces before arriving at an opening, the area bathed in moonlight. He sees Lucretia staring up at the night sky and his breath hitches at the sight of her. The moonlight is shining down on her, creating an ethereal glow; her high cheekbones highlighted in the light, her red hair cascading in waves down her back. As they walk further into the room, they catch her attention and she rises from the chair and walks towards them and stands before Crixus.

Lucretia knows that what she is about to do is extremely risky, but she wants to be completely alone with him tonight. No one standing outside of the room or around the corner, no one waiting on her to return. Just them. "Leave us, Naevia. Do not worry about me. You are to go back to the room and rest." she says sternly.

Naevia blinks back her confusion. "Y-Yes, Domina." She stammers as she exits the room.

They wait until they are completely alone before they move towards each other. Crixus smiles as he wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her close, nuzzling his face into her hair. He holds her for a moment before pulling back and runs his fingers through her hair.

"What are you thinking? You haven't stopped smiling." she asks as she plays with the hair at the nape of his neck. He continues to stroke her hair as he speaks.

"I'm thinking of your eternal beauty. You rival Venus herself."

She smiles softly, her expressive blue eyes lighting up at the compliment. "You flatter."

"It is true. Never would I have thought we would be here considering many moons ago we could not bear the sight of one another."

"I know." she agrees. "We have grown in ways we could have never foreseen." Crixus joins their hands together and slowly starts swaying their bodies, side to side, to imaginary music. They share a smile as he lifts their joined hands in the air and twirls her around playfully. He then dips her and brings her back to him and she giggles. He grabs both of her hands and starts spinning them in a circle, going faster and faster. She laughs with abandon and he laughs along with her. Her laugh is music to his ears as she rarely laughs. He slows down and pulls her flush against him as she still giggles and looks up at him, her brilliant, blue eyes shining with pure delight. Their laughter quiets down as they stare into each other's eyes, their hearts thundering within their chests.

Their faces are so close that their breath mingles as one, inching closer until their lips slowly touch in a gentle kiss. Crixus brings his hand up to cup the back of her head and deepens the kiss, sliding his tongue into her mouth. Both start breathing heavily and Crixus backs her up until she is pushed against the wall, his mouth never leaving hers. He can feel her hardened nipples against his chest through her thin night garment. He slides his hand up to cup one of her breasts and massages the delicate flesh. She sighs softly into his mouth and he dips his head to begin placing soft kisses along her shoulder. He kisses up her neck, and whispers hotly into her ear, "Seeing you in that green dress..." he pauses as he nips at her earlobe and she shudders in his embrace. "Made my cock rise in desire."

He pulls the front of her garment down, exposing her breasts and bends his head to catch a hardened nipple in his mouth while he massages the other. She rakes her nails across his back and with her voice dripping with desire she speaks, "Watching you toss that filthy Thracian around like he was a mere doll made me soaked with wetness." She pants, "I had to pleasure myself to seek relief." Crixus parts her legs with his thigh and trails his hand down until he feels her moist mound and groans at how wet she is. He rubs his fingers over her and then he pulls his hand away teasingly. She whimpers at the loss of contact and follows his hand with her hips. He suddenly shoves a finger into her slick passage and she moans at the contact.

"Did it feel like this?" he whispers hotly as he starts curling his finger inside of her. She shakes her head no and hisses into his shoulder as he pushes another finger into her and swallows her groan with a smoldering kiss.

Her hands work quickly as she pushes his subligaria down to the floor. He lifts her up and she wraps her long legs around his waist. He briefly removes his fingers so he could carry her to the couch. As soon as her back hit the couch, he pulls her garment down the rest of her body and tosses it to the floor. He quickly slides his fingers back into her and begins kissing her neck. He starts to move his fingers at a faster pace, enjoying the sounds emitting from her.

"Ohhh, Crixus." she moans, her body on fire at his touch. "Please!" she pleads for more.

"Please what?" he asks, enjoying her pleading for pleasure. She grinds herself into his hand.

"You know very well what!" she croaks out. He braces himself with one hand as he hovers above her.

"Say it." He says with a smirk.

"Please give me your cock. I want you inside of me NOW!" she demands. He immediately removes his fingers and shoves himself roughly inside of her. They both close their eyes and groan loudly at finally being connected. He moves at an agonizing, slow pace and peppers her neck with kisses. He claims her lips in a short kiss before he breaks away.

"Look at me." he demands quietly. She opens her eyes to stare into his deep pools of brown. "You are crafted by the Gods themselves." He says as he slides slowly in and out of her as she moans quietly.

"I love you, Crixus." she says breathily.

"I love you too, Lucretia." He thrusts more powerfully, pulling all the way out and plunging back in as deep as he could, every thrust sending waves of pleasure throughout her body. He grunts as he picks up the pace and quiets her moans with a searing kiss. He releases her lips with a hiss as he feels her nails scratch down his back. He starts relentlessly pounding hard into her and her cries are getting louder.

"Oh FUCK! Fuck me!" she cries out in ecstasy as she climaxes.

"Fuck yes!" he groans as he quickens his thrusts even more, rapidly slamming into her as he begins to reach his peak.

"Oh yes! Yessss!" she whimpers as she feels herself beginning to orgasm again, her walls contracting around him. "Ohhhh!" she exclaims. He thrusts a few more times and with a guttural moan, spills his seed deep inside of her. They lean their foreheads together, slick with sweat, panting sharply as they try to catch their breath. "That was much appreciated" she pants out and kisses him deeply. He breaks the kiss as he moves to lie behind her, melding his body with hers as he wraps an arm around her. He rests his hand on her flat stomach and traces his fingers lightly against it.

"We rarely get to lie like this. I enjoy it." He says softly.

"I wanted us to be alone tonight, so I made it so." She says with a smile and lays her hand on top of his. They say nothing as they lie there for a moment, relishing the feeling of being wrapped around each other. Crixus breaks the silence, "I meant what I said, Lucretia." he mumbles as he sits his chin on top of her head. "I do love you. I would shout it to the Gods if I didn't have to hold tongue." She sighs deeply and holds his hand tighter.

"I wish you could. Then, we would not have to hide among shadows like thieves in the night." He kisses the top of her head.

"You could never leave your husband..." Her eyes began to water.

"If I could leave, I would!" she says as a tear runs down her cheek. He lifts his hand and gently wipes it away with the pad of his thumb.

"Even if it meant losing wealth and station?" he asks. She turns her head to look him in the eyes.

"Yes! You forget that I had no station to begin with, Crixus!" she exclaims. "I cannot leave unless Quintus demands it so."

"I'd rather have you like this than never at all. My heart breaks within chest at the thought" He places a kiss on her forehead lovingly. She sighs heavily and turns her body to face him.

"I wish we didn't have to part, but I must go now." she says sadly as she sits up on the couch. "This makes it harder so." She bends down to pick up her garment and steps into it, pulling it up her body. She walks a few steps and retrieves his subligaria and hands it to him. He quickly redresses and grabs her hand and pulls it to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss upon her knuckles.

"Until next time, my love." He says. A small smile plays upon her lips as she squeezes his hand and walks away. Crixus makes his way out of the recesses and meets with the guard waiting by the stairs to the ludus. Lucretia slowly makes her way back to the room, and startles slightly as she sees Naevia waiting outside the door with the guards.

"Apologies, Domina. Rest would not find me while you were...uhhh" she slightly stumbles on her words, "taking a walk. I wished to make you proper for bed."

Lucretia nods. "Gratitude." She says before they walk into the bedroom.

"Will it ever fucking rain? I grow tired of not having a proper bath." Lucretia says disdainfully as Naevia washes under her arms the following morning. Naevia moves to wash between her legs.

"Perhaps the Gods are angry with us, Domina." She suggests as she finishes cleaning Lucretia. She reaches for her dress and holds it out so she can step into it.

"Well, let us pray they forgive us soon." She replies as she steps into the dress and Naevia pulls it up her body. They finish the morning routine before exiting the room. Lucretia decides to sit by the empty pool and the slaves move to accommodate her. Two slaves are fanning her with giant leaves and Naevia is massaging her feet and calves. She rests her cheek on her hand and is deep in thought.

 **I miss Crixus already, I'm a lovesick fool. I still love Quintus or at least I think I do. He treats me fairly well, all things considered.** She sighs heavily. **Would I leave him if given the chance?** This thought gives her pause as she realizes the answer is much more complicated than she thought. **Shit. I told Crixus I would leave if I could, but I'm scared…..**

Naevia interrupts her thoughts asking if she would like her to use some of the scented oil on her legs. "No, I think I'll do without for now." Naevia continues to massage her leg and her mind turns to the initiation tonight. She hopes they can secure the better fighters and is giddy with excitement at seeing Crixus in action. She prays he challenges the Thracian and ends his existence as it should have already been. She smirks devilishly at the thought.

Moments later, she walks into the bedroom and finds Quintus in the middle of getting a midday wash up. "Are you prepared for tonight? We shall see who is worthy of my mark." He says as she sits on the bed and moves to lie on her side, Naevia sitting beside her.

"Yes, we shall see who will fail and who will begin their rise to glory." she says as she watches the slave sponge his shoulders. She notices that his length is beginning to harden. A grin spreads across her face as an idea forms in her mind. "Have the girl's ass a bit and I'll watch." He smiles at her, loving the idea.

"I'll give pleasure to your eyes." He says and turns the girl around and bends her over a chair. He spits in his hand and rubs it against himself, his eyes never leaving Lucretia as he slides into the slave. He begins to thrust into her roughly and Lucretia laughs as she watches.

Nightfall arrives and it is time for the initiation for the recruits to begin. If they fight well, they will earn the mark of Batiatus. If they should fail, death will be the only company. The fighting will take place on an elevated platform. Lucretia is lounging on a chair watching the fights and Quintus is standing, overlooking the ludus, attentively watching the fights. Several men pass the test and earn their mark, while others fail and are killed on the spot. Barca is up against Marcus and the recruit boldly charges at him but Barca slices the back of his neck open and he falls dead to the ground below. Crixus finds this hilarious and begins laughing as do the other gladiators.

"Well, that was disappointing." Lucretia muses, clearly bored with the way the fights are going.

"Not every venture ends in climax." her husband responds.

 _ **I beg to differ**_ she thinks to herself. She opens her mouth and responds before she thinks, "A fact known well to every woman." Naevia stifles a smile at this and Lucretia glances up at Quintus, wondering if he had heard her.

All goes quiet in the ludus as Oenomaus shouts at Crixus for a challenge against Spartacus. Crixus smirks as he has been waiting for this moment. "One final lesson before I send you to the afterlife." he taunts as he is equipped with a sword and shield. Lucretia has regained interest and sets her full attention on Crixus.

"BEGIN!" Oenomaus shouts. Crixus immediately crouches into a defensive position when he takes notice that Spartacus is not moving. _**He is just fucking standing there. He is pissing himself. For fuck's sake, he sheds tears like a woman.**_ "TEARS? The rabbit is fixed to piss himself!" he taunts and everyone begins to laugh. Lucretia chuckles to herself. Crixus grows tired of waiting and launches his attack on Spartacus. Lucretia perks up and rises in her chair to gain a better view. Their blows are laced with deadly intent and Crixus knocks the sword from Spartacus's hand. He now only has a shield to defend himself. Crixus begins raining blows upon his opponent, trying to find a weakness. Spartacus leaves an opening and Crixus takes opportunity to swipe widely and cuts Spartacus's arm and delivers several punches to his face. Spartacus is immediately knocked down to the platform and Crixus pushes his shield to Spartacus's throat.

Crixus can taste the victory in the air and turns towards the balcony, waiting for approval to finish the job. Dominus nods his approval and he couldn't be more pleased. He turns back to strike when Spartacus pulled a piece of cloth beneath his feet that causes him to lose balance and fall over the edge of the platform. As soon as she saw his feet in the air, Lucretia shoots up from her chair and rushes to the railing of the balcony. She feels completely helpless as she watches Crixus plummet to the unforgiving ground below. He lands and the fall immediately takes his breath away.

Spartacus jumps down from the platform and walks over to Crixus, who is still struggling to regain his breath. He looks down upon him and says, "The lesson is well learned." and draws back his arm for the killing blow. Lucretia was about to protest when Quintus yells out.

"Spartacus! Cease!" Everyone looks on to see what he will do. Given his penchant for disobeying, Lucretia is sick to her stomach seeing Crixus being held with a sword to his throat. Spartacus has yet to move a muscle. "You have passed the test!" Quintus exclaims and he and the Thracian share a look and Spartacus slowly lowers his arm.

"Dominus." He steps away from Crixus and Barca and another gladiator step in to help Crixus to his feet. Spartacus watches as they half drag him away and he turns his head to the balcony where he finds Lucretia staring daggers at him before furiously walking away.

Much later in the night sees Lucretia and Naevia walking down to the medical room of the ludus. Lucretia told Quintus that she wanted to go for a walk to clear her mind before bed. She peeks around the corner and sees the medicus inside the room, wrapping a bandage tightly around Crixus's chest who is sitting on the edge of the table. Naevia steps inside and lets the medicus know that Dominus is requesting fresh medicinal herbs from the garden. He sighs. "Come along then." he points to Crixus "I am not finished with you yet." and disappears around the opposite corner of where Lucretia was standing.

She turns the corner and walks into the room as Crixus looks up and is surprised to see that it is her entering. She hurriedly walks to him and throws her arms around his neck as he wraps his around her waist and lays his head on her chest. "I'm so glad you are okay." she breathes with relief.

"I'm not going anywhere. It'll take more than that Thracian bitch to get rid of me." he replies. "Just some bruised ribs that is all." Lucretia huffs as she sits down next to him.

"Anything of interest happen today?" she asks. He tells her about his morning and adds, "Ashur is trying to play to Spartacus's wishes and desires and I'm not sure to what end. The piss ant is up to something" He reaches between them and laces their fingers together.

She scoffs. "I had the duty of entertaining Illithya, Glaber's whore wife. I had to kiss that fucking woman's ass at every turn, while she mocks my hospitality and my home." She fumes. "I felt so humiliated. Then she has the audacity to press her lips against mine! The day has made me grow weary and I'm glad it has passed." she says as she lays her head on his shoulder. They sit in contented silence for a moment. He kisses the top of her head.

"You should rest so mind will be at ease. May sleep be peaceful for you." he says as he kisses her softly. She grinned at him as she stands and squeezes his hand.

"For you as well." she says.

He smiles at her and replies, "With thoughts of you, sleep is always peaceful." She smiles and lets go of his hand slowly as she steps backwards.

"Goodnight, Crixus." she says as she reaches the doorway.

"Goodnight, Lucretia."


	4. Chapter 3: Primus

**CHANGE OF HEART**

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters within the story; they all belong to the creative minds of Renaissance Pictures and Starz. I did borrow dialogue and scenes from the show.

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 **CHAPTER THREE: PRIMUS**

The men are sparring together in the warm sun, practicing for the Vulcanalia . Every man tries to earn a higher position in the games, for no one wants to be part of the lower matches. Lucretia lounges on the balcony as a merchant presents jewelry to her and Naevia tries it on to help her make a decision. The piece she currently wears is delicate and subtle in taste. Lucretia finds it beautiful but it does not suit her purpose.

"Too common." She dismisses. "Show me something of note." While the merchant searches for something to show, Naevia feels eyes upon her from below. She turns her head and finds one of the gladiators staring up at her. He has short dark hair and light stubble across his face; his muscles are very pronounced and shine with sweat in the sun.

She turns her attention back to the merchant as he produces a gorgeous emerald piece. He says the gems were imported from Scythia and places the necklace around Naevia's neck. Lucretia's interest has peaked and she slowly sits up from her lounging position. She moves the straps of Naevia's dress and bares her breasts out in the open. The merchant says the price is thirty denarii.

"Twenty-five." She bargains.

"Twenty-nine." He counters.

"Twenty-eight and I'll resist pitching you off the balcony." She says menacingly. His faces pales slightly as he swallows hard and nods his head.

"Twenty-eight denarii then."She is pleased that she got him to go down on his price. She notices Naevia's deep blush at being exposed and makes her way to stand next to her at the railing of the balcony. She watches Crixus as he practices, noting that he is aware of her presence because he begins to swing at his opponent more fiercely than before.

"Do not be ashamed, Naevia." She speaks as she continues to watch him. "That piece is beautiful on you as it will be on me." She then notices one of the gladiators transfixed on Naevia. "It would seem that you have an admirer." Naevia looks to the sands and once again sees the same man as before staring at her. "Come along then." Lucretia says as she turns and begins walking back into the villa. Naevia quickly pulls the straps of her dress back up and hurries to catch up with her. "I need to get prepared for my meeting. I need to be as fresh as possible, so make sure to fetch a bowl of fresh water." She tells Naevia as they walk.

"Yes, Domina."

The gladiators continue their training throughout the day and, once again, Spartacus has a lesson to learn. Crixus remarks, "The sand smells like Thrace. Perhaps I should shit to complete the aroma." The men start roaring with laughter at this and he and Spartacus stare intently at each other. Before the other man can say anything, a guard appears and tells Crixus he is being summoned. He manages not to smile, even though he is ecstatic to see his love, for it has been many days since he has been able to hold her within his arms. He follows the guard to the door and sees Naevia waiting for him and follows behind her as she leads him up the stairs.

He walks into Lucretia's room as Naevia closes the doors behind him. He looks around and Lucretia is nowhere to be found. "What took you so long?" her questioning voice cuts into his thoughts.

"Apologies. I did not want to arouse the suspicions of my men as to my purpose." Lucretia smiles slyly from her hidden position.

"And what might that be, oh Champion of Capua?"

Crixus smiles humorously. **So that is the game we are to play today.** "Whatever Domina desires." Lucretia grins, glad that he caught on to what she wanted, and steps from behind a pillar in the room. She is dressed in an ornate, red robe; opened enough to show a generous portion of her breasts along with her newly acquired necklace. His mouth begins to water and his cock hardening every second that passes just from the sight of her.

"I bought this necklace for the reception….do you think it's too much?" she asks as she pulls her hair back, fingers playing with the necklace.

"My blood rises. "He answers honestly and keeps his gaze on the floor. "To give the necklace credit would be false, Domina." She smiles as she slinks towards him.

"What quickens your pulse?" she asks as she lightly trails a hand over her breast as she continues towards him. His pulse is quickening the closer she gets.

"The touch of your lips..your breasts and all the pleasures below." He says as she finally stands before him. She puts her hand beneath his chin and lifts his head up until their eyes meet and grins mischievously. She places her hand on his chest and runs her hand slowly down his taut muscles until she is groping his rock hard length. She looks into his eyes with unmasked desire.

"I need your cock inside of me." She bluntly states. "And I need it in me NOW." She demands as she pulls him roughly to her and they stumbled backwards to the bed. He grabs her face roughly and shoves his tongue into her mouth in a passionate kiss. He grinds himself against her and she moans into his mouth as they continue to battle with their tongues.

He pulls away. "Apologies. It's been too long since I've felt you in my arms." He kisses her hard and breaks away again, looking down at her; her red hair is fanned out wildly on the pillow and her lips are plump from his kisses. "I have to have you." He says as he pushes her robe fully open and takes an erect nipple into his mouth while he gropes the other breast. Lucretia groans as she feels his tongue swivel around the hard bud. He doesn't stay on her breasts for long, as he licks his way down her body. He gets down on his knees as he nips at her inner thighs; breathing in the smell of her, her natural musk and scented oils mixing together beautifully. He can see that she is dripping with want and runs a finger down her wet folds as she sucks in a breath.

She gasps loudly as he roughly pulls her to the edge of the bed and lifts her long legs to rest upon his shoulders. He bends his head down and runs his tongue against her wet center. She shivers and moans with delight and props herself up on elbows to watch his ministrations. He laps at her enthusiastically and groans against her as he makes eye contact with her while she plays with her breasts, her hooded gaze watching him intently as soft moans continue to fall from her parted lips. He flicks his tongue against her clit while pushing two fingers into her. She moans loudly as she arches her back and begins moving against him, craving more. His fingers work up to a furious pace, shoving in and out of her passage as he continues to lap and suck at her clit. Her hand works its way into his hair and grips it hard within her fist as she shoves his face harder into her heat. She is panting wildly, the pleasure humming throughout her body.

He groans against her and shoves another finger into her. She throws her head back and bites down on her lip to try to drown out her cries of pleasure. "Don't fucking stop, Crixus!" she cries out. "Ohhh!" His fingers do not stop their relentless pace and she is becoming undone. She can feel her walls closing around his fingers as she explodes in her climax. "OHHHHHHH!" she moans loudly. He lifts his head and crawls back up her body, his fingers still inside of her. Still trying to catch her breath she says, "Well, that was new."

He chuckles. "It was my pleasure, _Domina._ " She smirks at him and pulls his head down to meet her lips. She can taste herself on his lips and it is extremely arousing. His fingers begin slowly moving again and he groans against her lips. "Jupiter's cock…"

"Enough about his cock. Free yours to be deep inside of my cunt." She demands. He quickly rips off his subligaria and roughly turns her over onto her stomach and pulls her up onto her hands and knees. Her perfect ass is presented to him and he rubs a hand against a smooth, pale cheek and massages the tantalizing flesh. He strokes himself with one hand while he smacks her ass with the other. She cries out at the sensation of the sting and pleasure. He smacks the other cheek and she cries out again. "Remember not to leave marks, Crixus." She pants out.

"Yes, _Domina._ " He says as he swiftly enters her from behind and covers her mouth with his hand as she cried out loudly. He slides all the way out and slams himself into her again, her muffled moans against his hand spurring him on. He sets a relentless pace, slamming in and out of her. He gets a fistful of her hair and pulls her up against him while still moving furiously inside of her, never removing his hand from her mouth. "Mmmmmmm!" comes her muffled groan of pleasure as she climaxes again, her walls clamping down on him. He can feel his release is near and continues his fast pace as she continues to whimper against his hand. Two more violent thrusts of his hips see him undone and his seed explodes into her as he groans loudly against her ear.

He immediately removes his hand from her mouth and tries to catch his breath. He removes himself from within her and they both flop onto their backs on the bed. Her chest is heaving heavily as she smiles broadly. They turn their heads to look at each other and laugh quietly. "Gods…"

She props herself up on her elbow and looks down at him. "You are just full of surprises on this day." She says. "Most men don't enjoy licking cunt."

"As you know, I'm not like most men." He grins and she laughs lightly while he gently cups her cheek.

"Indeed. Forged by Jupiter himself." She says as he rubs the pad of his thumb against her cheek. She smiles and bends down and captures his lips with hers in a soft kiss.

"I love you, Lucretia." He smiles up at her.

"I love you too." She sits up fully and sighs while lacing her fingers with his. "I wish you could stay." She says with a pout.

"I would make it so if it were within my power, my love." He says and raises their joined hands to kiss her knuckles. He bends down to retrieve his subligaria and she releases his hand as she stands and wraps her robe back around herself. "Oenomaus is preparing to read the pairings of the Vulcanalia." He says as he finishes dressing.

She loops her arms around his neck. "You needn't worry. We already know you will fight in the Primus."

"Worried, I am not. For I love proving myself worthy of your affections with every fight." She cups his cheek affectionately.

She sighs heavily, "Naevia should be outside to escort you back." She removes her arms and turns to walk away. He smirks mischievously and smacks her ass. "Ooo!" she squeals.

"Already miss you, love." He says and shoots her a devilish smile as he begins to leave the room. She shakes her head in amusement as she watches him walk away.

The next morning as the men train, Naevia is standing on the balcony, watching them. She notices the gladiator that was staring at her the previous day is doing it again. Her eyes rake over his muscled body and she wonders what it would feel like to run her hands over his well-sculpted chest. She blushes at her thoughts and quickly looks away, only to see Crixus staring up at the balcony seemingly searching for something…or someone. She wonders who he could be looking for and then it dawns on her: **Domina? Why would he be looking for her?** Down below, Ashur notices where Crixus has his gaze and sees Naevia standing on the balcony.

"Ashur!" Crixus calls to get his attention. "There is something I want you to get for me."

"Whatever your needs, Ashur provides." He responds.

 **I hate asking this cock swallower for anything…** Crixus thinks to himself. "Follow me, away from prying ears..." Crixus says as he leads Ashur away to somewhere more private.

That night, the reception is well underway and the gladiators are gawked at and touched by drooling women and men alike. Crixus stands tall as a man places a wager for him in the games. Quintus calls upon Ashur to complete the transaction. The three men walk away and Crixus continues to stand in his position as his eyes scan the room. He spots Lucretia walking into the room, arm in arm, with Illithya.

 **The Gods have surely stolen breath from chest** he thinks as he takes in her deep red dress that pushes against her breasts in the most tantalizing way. The necklace she showed him earlier now rests upon her delicate neck and he notes her new hair color. **Blonde never looked so good. By the Gods she is stunning.** His eyes follow every move she makes.

Lucretia is trying to hold her tongue as Illithya, once again, looks down upon her. She noticed Lucretia's new necklace and just had to make a remark about how it isn't in season anymore. "I hear it's coming back around." Lucretia says. Quintus then begins his speech and presents the men and offers them up as "stock". Crixus and Lucretia finally lock eyes and he subtly scans her body appreciatively before looking away. She smiles to herself and a slight blush forms on her cheeks.

Ashur limps over to Crixus and says, "A moment alone…a rarity for a man with such an adoring public, huh?" he chuckles, thinking himself clever. Crixus just stares daggers at him and says nothing.

Ashur clears his throat. "To business then. A difficult task on such short notice." He says and pulls out a pouch and Crixus furrows his brow and looks around to make sure no one noticed the exchange. He takes it and shoves it into his subligaria and says nothing. Ashur is still standing there, not moving, until Crixus turns his gaze upon him again.

Ashur smiles and turns away. "Cock fucker." He mumbles under his breath.

Crixus flexes his muscles a bit more as he notices Lucretia and Illithya approaching. "Your Gaul is of a fine cut, is he not?" Illithya remarks in amazement.

 **He definitely is…and he is completely mine.** Lucretia thinks as she rakes her eyes over him, making sure he knows she appreciates the view. He makes sure to keep his gaze fixed straight ahead, not looking either woman in the eye. They have to be extremely careful in public.

"None finer in all the Republic." Lucretia responds proudly.

"Such a man…" Illithya states as she begins to reach out to touch his chest. He stands still as stone. Lucretia's eyes widen in fury at Illithya, wishing she could say something to make her back off. Illithya retracts her hand before she can touch him and takes a deep breath as she says, "I tremble to see him again at the arena..." and turns and walks away.

Lucretia lingers for a moment, her jaw clenching. "As do we all." She says as she looks to him before walking away.

He lets go of a breath he didn't realize he was holding. **That woman is a fucking menace** he thinks of Illithya as he is left standing there.

Naevia looks at him as she passes by, following Lucretia. She watched their exchange with curious eyes, noticing how Lucretia bristled when Illithya was near Crixus. **How curious** she thinks.

Lucretia and Illithya continue to walk until they come across Spartacus and Illithya immediately halts their movement. "The Thracian yet lives…." She says.

"For now." Lucretia replies as she pulls Illithya away. Illithya grows restless and announces that she will be taking her leave due to her boredom. Lucretia entices her with something of a more private and physical nature and commands Varro to follow them. They arrive to a room full of people and she orders Varro to fuck a slave in front of the others.

"Yes, Domina." He says as he sets forth to fulfill her request. As he begins thrusting into the woman, Lucretia gauges Illithya's reaction. The blonde has her mouth open in awe and want. She asks Lucretia if she can touch him and she nods her head in approval. Illithya glides her hand over Varro's chest, marveling at his stamina. Lucretia is pleased with herself as she has found a weakness in the blonde.

 **She wants to fuck the gladiators. How unbecoming of the Senators daughter** Lucretia laughs to herself.

The men are standing in a line as Quintus is getting ready to announce who will be fighting in the Primus. Crixus is announced as a participant when suddenly he is charged at and knocked down by Spartacus. Caught off guard, he is punched several times in the face. Lucretia gasps in shock as she looks on with growing rage.

 **This is fucking embarrassing!** She thinks to herself as she looks around the room at all of the shocked faces of the crowd.

Oenomaus attempts to break up the fight and exclaims, " _ **Spartacus**_! "as the fight continues.

"No! Let them fight!" Illithya shouts, enjoying the display of animalistic behavior. Lucretia frowns at her. Crixus flips Spartacus over his shoulder after elbowing him in the stomach and nearly loses the pouch he procured earlier. He quickly picks it up and puts it back in its place.

"Quintus! Do something!" Lucretia shouts as the men continue their assault on one another.

" _ **ENOUGH!"**_ Quintus bellows. Some of the other gladiators step in and hold the men back from each other.

"I will take your fucking heart!" Crixus yells as he struggles against the two men holding him back.

"Come and take it, coward!" Spartacus yells back. Quintus looks around the room and notices the shock in the room from the guests and decides to use it in his favor.

"Ha! See their hatred, burning beyond control!" He says as enthusiastically. "This was merely a taste! Tomorrow they will settle this grudge in the arena!" he shouts as he stands between them. The people cheer loudly and Illithya is beaming at the idea. Quintus is smiling, enjoying the crowds' interest until he sees Lucretia's displeased face and his smile falls.

Later in the evening, as she says goodbye to the last guest with a smile, Lucretia's cheeks immediately heat with anger and she storms away from Quintus and walks quickly in the direction of their bedroom, Naevia following.

He sighs in exasperation. "Lucretia!" he says as he hurries after her. She ignores him and walks faster and swings the doors open as she enters the room. Naevia immediately begins helping her remove her jewelry. Lucretia removes her earrings as Quintus walks through the doors.

"The reception nearly ruined and what is his punishment? The fucking Primus!" she exclaims angrily.

"You heard the crowd. I made the best of a situation." He says calmly.

She turns to face him. "The Thracian has yet to stand a single match as a gladiator. Why leap him ahead of all others to face Crixus?" she asks, disbelief written across her face.

"Because of what he possesses. The public's interest. "

"They stroke a rabid dog. He's unpredictable, he has no regard for rules or for honor." She spat. She adds before she can stop herself, "If something should happen to Crixus..."

Quintus frowns for a moment before he scoffs. "He poses no threat to Crixus! He is but a novelty to be used and discarded after a purpose!" Lucretia is mentally slapping herself for slipping up and hopes Quintus didn't detect the tone of worry and care that laced her words. "Fucking Gods' cock!" Quintus exclaims. "Is there no wine left?"

Lucretia turns to Naevia. "Well, what are you standing there for? Go get some fucking wine!" she orders as she pulls off her wig, short brown hairs escaping the covering on her head. Naevia hurries down to the ludus where the wine is stored just outside of the bars and picks up an amphora of wine. There are no guards present as it is time for the position change. As she turns to walk away, a hand reaches through the bars and grabs her shoulder and she drops the wine as a startled gasp escapes her lips. She turns to face the culprit and sees that it's the gladiator that has been staring at her.

"Apologies" he says looking down at the mess created. "I was passing by and noticed you standing there. I did not mean to startle." She bends down and begins to clean the mess. He bends down as well and says, "I've noticed you on the balcony watching us train. Do the games interest you?"

She huffs. "No, they do not."

He chuckles at her response. "I believe you give false answer. I've seen the look upon your face, Naevia."

She looks up sharply at his face. "How do you know my name?"

He smiles. "I took note of your exquisite beauty and made purpose to know your name. I am Tyronius." He says as he sticks his hand through the bars. She shyly gives it a small shake.

"It is nice to meet you at last, Tyronius. I have felt your gaze upon me many times." She says with a small smile.

"I feel no shame for it." Her smile falls as she realizes how much trouble she will be in. As nice as Lucretia can be, she can also be very unforgiving with her punishments, she begins to panic.

"If Domina finds out I have dropped the last of the wine—"

"Hand me the pieces and I'll see them over the cliff." Tyronius cuts her off and holds his hand through the bars. She looks at him, unsure of what she should do. She nods to herself and starts handing him the broken pieces. Their hands touch and she looks at them before standing to leave. "Wait!" Tyronius exclaims as he also stands. "When can I see you again?" he asks. She cannot believe she is actually contemplating this.

"I do not know, for I cannot leave Domina's side without her permission." He nods his head in understanding.

"We will find a way. Until next time." He grips her hand and then takes his leave. Naevia stands there in silent wonder and smiles to herself before turning and walks up the stairs.

The next day sees to the start of the Vulcanalia and the gladiators have already begun their fighting. Spectators are cheering wildly at the show of violence. Lucretia and Quintus sit among revered guests such as the magistrate, with the best view of the arena. Lucretia sits upon the ledge of the balcony and faces Illithya as they speak. Illithya complains about the heat and lack of rain while Lucretia moves to sit next to her and offers her water or wine.

"Ugh." Illithya groans. "The thought churns stomach. However, your company last night yet astounds the senses." She says intriguingly.

"Too much?" Lucretia asks, raising a brow.

"Of wine, definitely. Of other interests…I think the surface barely scratched." Illithya says cheekily and they laugh together. Quintus grasps Lucretia's hand as the Primus is set to begin. He gives her hand a quick kiss and she smiles up at him.

"Here we go then." He says giving her hand a squeeze. He moves to the ledge of the balcony and announces Spartacus and Crixus to enter the arena.

Crixus quickly dons his helmet and prepares himself for battle. "For honor…and for Lucretia." He mumbles to himself as he steps out into the arena, the cheers exploding forth from the crowd. He roars and brandishes his sword towards the sky as Quintus introduces him as the Champion of Capua. The crowd is chanting his name and Illithya looks down to him with lust and Lucretia looks down at him with pride.

"Finally! Crixus!" Illithya says. Lucretia's smile fades at Illithya's clear lust for Crixus.

 **How I long to remove that look from her face!** Lucretia rages internally.

"Look how his form catches the sun!" Illithya exclaims. Crixus continues to entice the crowd with his cheers for Capua. Before Quintus can complete his speech, Spartacus roars as he charges at Crixus. Crixus successfully blocks the assault by crouching down with his shield and immediately swipes his blade as he rises.

"You had not yet finished the oration and yet the Thracian attacks?!" Lucretia seethes.

"Was that not supposed to happen?" Illithya asks innocently.

"No, it was not!" the magistrate says, anger lacing his tone.

"How exciting!" Illithya says giddily. Spartacus continues to attack Crixus, blow after blow being blocked by the more skilled Gaul.

Crixus laughs mirthlessly and thinks to himself, **the dumb shit will tire quickly at this rate and give the opening I desire.**

He deflects another hit from the Thracian. Spartacus keeps pushing Crixus further and further back with his blows, yet none land successfully. Suddenly, Crixus pushes forward and charges Spartacus, causing him to lose balance and fall to the sand. He quickly gets back on his feet and barrels towards Crixus swinging his sword wildly, trying to find an opening to land a hit. Crixus keeps his shield raised to deflect the blows and laughs again, enjoying the rage he can feel coming from his opponent. He manages to spin around and strikes Spartacus hard in the back with his shield. The hit knocks him to the ground and the crowd cheers. Spartacus is having difficulty getting to his feet, the hit knocked the breathe from him.

Crixus, not feeling threatened, removes his helmet and turns to face the balcony. He seeks Lucretia's eyes and finds them already searching for his. Her lips quirk upwards and he smirks as he turns away to face the crowd. The crowd is mad with praise and cheer, women flashing their breasts and men pumping their fists into the air.

He laughs as he spins around to take in the crowd and savor his victory. "Capua! Shall I begin?!" he shouts.

The crowd is sent into a frenzy as they cheer him on. He gazes once more at the balcony before donning his helmet, watching as Spartacus finally rises from the sand. Crixus charges and lands a heavy blow to Spartacus's helmet, relentless in his attack. He is barely managing to block the attacks. Crixus quickly swipes his blade across Spartacus's leg, spraying blood as Spartacus falls to the ground. He quickly tries to land another blow to the man while he is on the ground but Spartacus blocks it and rolls out of the way to his feet and immediately raises his shield to bloke a sword strike from the Gaul. Crixus knocks him down again and lands a powerful kick against his head. He roars to the crowd and they shout their praise.

Lucretia watches with a smile on her face at his soon to be victory. Spartacus tries to stand and Crixus strikes with his sword so hard that it knocks his helmet off as he is sent sprawling backwards. He drops both sword and shield. Crixus walks to him and drops his shield, knowing he has no use for it now. He grabs Spartacus by the hair and lifts him into a kneeling position.

He happily puts his blade to his throat and says, "Now you die, Thracian."

He looks to the balcony and awaits instruction. As the crowd begins to chant, "Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!" demanding blood. Spartacus swallows his pride and slowly lifts two fingers into the air, showing Quintus that he surrenders. Quintus grows excited and stands to address the crowd.

"Spartacus fought well! Let him live to fight another day!" The crowd immediately begins to boo, obviously displeased. Lucretia glares unhappily at her husband. This was their chance to be rid of the Thracian. Crixus cannot believe that Spartacus has yet again escaped death. He removes the blade from his throat and shoves him to the ground. The decision has not only turned the crowd but has also angered the magistrate and Illithya as well.

Back at the villa, Lucretia paces angrily as the slaves start undressing Quintus for bed. Naevia stands to the side, watching Lucretia and waiting until she is called to assist. Quintus cannot take her pacing any longer. "Lucretia, you should ready for bed and stop pacing." She halts her steps and looks at him.

"Quintus, why did you spare his life? We could have been rid of him once and for all!" she says angrily.

He sighs. "I'm not yet finished with him. I can earn more coin out of him."

"How?! Your decision has lost us the favor of the crowd and magistrate…and that stupid, blonde bitch is probably spreading it around like disease!" she exclaims.

"Hold your tongue!" he suddenly demands sternly. She looks at him with wide eyes as he rarely commands her. "I tire of this conversation and wish to let it rest. Now, prepare yourself for bed so we can let sleep claim us."

She huffs and crosses her arms as she says, "I wish to go for a stroll before bed to relieve mind of troubling thoughts." And turns without saying another word and starts making her way towards the doors, Naevia trailing silently behind her.

"Lucretia!" Quintus calls after her and she ignores him. "Damned woman…" he mutters to himself.

As soon as they step out of the doors, Lucretia turns to Naevia and looks at her with a silent demand. "Bedroom." She mouths to Naevia. She bows her head and sets out to fetch Crixus. Lucretia walks hurriedly to the guest room and swings the doors open as she enters the room.

Crixus had only been to sleep for a few winks before he is woken by a guard saying he is being summoned. He sits up and yawns tiredly and gets to his feet, shuffling behind the guard. Lucretia stands at the window; breathing in the fresh air it provides trying to calm her nerves. She releases a deep breath and turns around at the same time Crixus and Naevia enter the room. Naevia bows her head and exits the room, closing the doors behind her. She has her own meeting to attend with Tyronius.

Crixus blinks the sleep from his eyes and smiles tiredly at her. Her stomach fills with flutters when he smiles at her and she walks to him and he envelops her in a warm embrace. She sighs contentedly as she rests her head on his chest. They stand like that for a moment, holding tightly to one another. Lucretia lifts her head to look him in the eyes. "Apologies if I woke you. I needed to see you." She apologizes.

"Are you alright?" he asks as he runs a hand tenderly through her hair. She nods her head.

"Yes. Seeing you brings me peace and removes troubled thoughts from mind."

"What troubles you?" he asks. She sighs and grabs his hand and leads him to the bed, where they sit on the edge. She leans her head on his shoulder as she begins to talk.

"Everything. The Thracian attacking you last night at the reception was mortifying! Quintus said he didn't have a choice but to pit him against you in the Primus. Then he lets the bastard live when he should have been slaughtered where he kneeled!" she says angrily.

"The crowd wasn't happy with that decision." Crixus says.

"I know! It also angered the magistrate and that cunt, Illithya. What was he thinking?! We can't afford to lose favor with anyone right now! I feel like everything I've worked so hard for is beginning to crumble." She sighs and adds quietly. "He shouted at me. He has never done that in all the years I've known him. He must feel guilt because he knows this is wrong! I stormed out of the room and ignored when he called to me."

Crixus chuckled lightly and kissed the top of her head affectionately. "That's part of the reason why I love you, you know? Your fiery and defiant spirit brings me joy. You're not like the other women." She smiles into his shoulder.

"It will bring me trouble one day." She says.

"If it does, you will be able to handle it. You never back down from a challenge." She lifts her head and smiles at him. He bends his head slightly and touches his lips to hers in a gentle kiss. She breaks the kiss and moves to kneel behind him on the bed. She begins massaging his tense shoulders.

He groans heavily. "Mmmmm, by the Gods that feels good." He says and closes his eyes, relaxing under her touch.

"I know you are tired from your fight." She says as she continues her ministrations.

She rests her head on his shoulder and whispers in his ear. "You bring me such pride, Crixus. I love watching you fight and seeing the joy on your face as you conquer all those who challenge you."

He leans his head against hers and smiles. "I love you, Lucretia." She moves her arms to wrap around him from behind, her hands resting on his chest.

"I love you too. More so each day that passes." They savor one another's touch, soaking up each minute they have with each other. Crixus lets out a sigh after a while.

"I must take my leave unless you wish for sleep to claim me here."

"If only it could." She says as they both stand from the bed. They walk to the doors and he faces her and cups her face between his hands and places a lingering kiss on her lips.

She smiles softly up at him. "May you rest well, my love." He gently runs the pads of his thumbs across her cheeks and gives her one more quick kiss.

They step away from one another and Lucretia opens the doors and Naevia is waiting for them. She has a glow about her and a small smile on her face. Lucretia raises a brow at her, wondering what that is about. Naevia blushes and walks away, leading Crixus back to the ludus. Lucretia watches them until she can no longer see them and stands alone for a moment, collecting herself before she makes her way back to her bedroom.


	5. Chapter 4: Secrets Revealed

**CHANGE OF HEART**

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters within the story; they all belong to the creative minds of Renaissance Pictures and Starz. I did borrow dialogue and scenes from the show.

##################################################################################

 **CHAPTER FOUR: SECRETS REVEALED**

 _ **SEVERAL DAYS LATER….**_

Lucretia is lounging in a chair while Naevia massages her legs and feet. She decides to ask Naevia about something that has been on her mind for days.

"So, the night I met with Crixus, you came back positively glowing. What was that about?" she whispers with a raised brow. Naevia's hands stop their movements at the question, worry beginning to fill her mind. Lucretia notices the worry on her face. "Come, Naevia. You can tell me. You won't be punished unless it is well deserved."

Naevia resumes the massage and swallows hard. "The gladiator that stares at me when we are on the balcony…" she trails off.

"What of him?" Lucretia says as she takes a sip of wine.

"I have met with him, Domina. I enjoy conversation with him." Naevia says quietly.

"So, you fancy this gladiator?"

Naevia's eyes light up. "Oh yes, Domina! His name is Tyronius. He is such a great man, on and off the sands."

Lucretia chuckles. "Well, I assume you meet with him on the nights I meet with Crixus. I approve as long as, for now, those are the only times you meet and talking is all you do. After all, it is my decision to whom I give your maidenhood to."

"Yes, Domina. Of course." Naevia replies with a small smile on her face. She has conflicting thoughts about the matter. On one hand she can see Tyronius often enough, but the other is because she is a slave, she has no say in the matter. Domina can choose not to let her see him and give her to someone else.

Lucretia taps her fingers together as she thinks. **Should I tell her? It's so hard not having anyone to talk to. I would have told Melitta…** At this thought she feels a slight pang in her chest. If Melitta wasn't a slave, she knows they would have been very good friends. She at least trusted and cared for her deeply and thought Melitta felt the same. She sighs as she makes her decision.

"Naevia….there is something I need to tell you." Naevia doesn't stop massaging and keeps her face neutral.

"Yes, Domina?"

Lucretia looks at Naevia, watching her hands move against her skin. "Well, when I meet with Crixus…" she whispers. Naevia stops her massage and looks up at Lucretia, feeling like she is able to at this moment.

Suddenly, her mouth feels dry and her hands feel sweaty. "I-I-well, we…." She stutters nervously.

 **For fucks sake! Why can't I just say it? Just tell her!**

She takes a deep breath and motions for Naevia to come closer. She does as requested and Lucretia bends down until her lips are nearly touching Naevia's ear. "We are in love and have been together for quite some time." She whispers into her ear, feeling a weight lifted from her chest. Naevia gasps and looks to her with wide eyes. "You cannot say _**anything**_ , Naevia. Not to another slave, Tyronius, absolutely **no one**. Even if your Dominus asks, you must deny any knowledge." She whispers fiercely and grabs Naevia's arm tightly. " **Do** you understand me?" she says and squeezes her arm harder.

Naevia shakes her head quickly. "Yes, Domina. I understand. I would never say anything." Lucretia still has not released her arm. She is frightened by the look on her Domina's face. "You can trust me, Domina. I would never betray your confidence." Lucretia looks at her for a few more moments before releasing a breath and letting go of her arm. Naevia rubs her arm and looks to the floor.

Lucretia reaches out and tilts her chin until Naevia is looking at her. "I did not mean to harm you. I'm just scared. The both of us will die if anyone were to find out and we have held this secret for so long. It feels nice to be able to tell someone." She says with a slight smile on her face. Naevia hesitantly puts her hand over Lucretia's and breathes a sigh of relief when she doesn't pull away or reprimand her.

"I'm glad you told me, Domina. I only wish to please you and hold your trust." The women share a smile and Lucretia sits back in the chair as Naevia returns to massaging her legs.

"Use some of the scented oil." Lucretia says.

Naevia nods. "Yes, Domina." She reaches for the bottle and notices that there will not be any left should she use it now. "Umm…this is all that is left, Domina." Lucretia huffs.

"Well, we should save it then." Naevia nods and sets the bottle down and moves to Lucretia's legs again.

Quintus strolls up to them, in high spirits. He puts his hands on Lucretia's shoulders and begins rubbing them. She shoots him a small smile and takes another sip of wine. "I have secured another way for us to earn coin, one that is steady and will soon provide us a proper bath." Her eyes light up at this, her excitement boiling over due to not having an actual bath in a few moons.

"Just where will this steady flow of coin be coming from?" she asks with a smile as she plays with her fingernails. She feels his hands stiffen on her shoulders and she turns to look at his face. "Quintus?"

He sighs. "The Pits." Lucretia's face immediately flushes red with anger.

"The Pits?!" she exclaims and stands abruptly from her chair and storms off. The Pits are where the lowest of the low go. Slaves fight like wild dogs and people wager coin on who should live or die. Men and women alike act like animals, relishing in the spilled blood of those who perish in the fights.

"Lucretia!" She doesn't stop as she subconsciously makes her way to the balcony.

"Crixus remains the single draw of the ludus. Of the new recruits, Varro is the only man of promise." Quintus says as he catches up to her. "Spartacus and Kerza prove worthless in the arena, so, I fight them both tonight where they may yet fill our purse."

"Quintus, The Pits stain the soul and threaten the body. Dispatching the Thracian brings me relief. You descending into The Pits does not." She admonishes as she steps out onto the balcony. She immediately spots Crixus below and watches him practice.

"I'll have Barca with me for protection." He assures her.

"Well, you should return unscathed then." She replies.

Quintus begins to watch Crixus practice and has a thought. "See to it that Crixus have the company of a woman tonight. It should give him motivation."

 **My moistened thighs are definitely motivating** she thinks smugly to herself. "I will see him well satisfied." She says and Quintus nods his head and tells her he will be back sometime in the night. She hears him order the guards to fetch Barca and Ashur from the ludus to accompany him. She turns back to continue watching the practice only to find Crixus looking at her. She makes sure no one is watching as she sends him a small smile and mouths the word, " **Tonight".** He nods his head and smiles back as she turns to walk back into the villa.

Nightfall has arrived and Naevia is helping Lucretia get dressed after washing up for her meeting with Crixus. They walk out the room and barely nod to the guards outside the door. "Bring him to the corridor with the statues. The one no one ever uses." Lucretia says.

Naevia bows her head. "Yes, Domina." She begins to walk away when Lucretia asks her to wait.

"Enjoy your time with Tyronius tonight." Naevia gives a small smile.

"Gratitude, Domina. I hope you enjoy as well." She says and begins walking towards the stairs. She arrives at the bars and tells the guard that Domina is summoning Crixus. Moments later, he appears and now that she is aware of their secret, she can see right through his façade. They begin walking up the stairs and Naevia decides to break the silence. "It's a beautiful night." Her voice slightly startles him.

"Indeed it is." They lapse into silence again. She decides to just come out and say it.

"I know about you and Domina." Crixus immediately halts his steps.

"I do not doubt that you do, seeing as how you are the one to escort me."

"She told me, Crixus. It's okay." She says and smiles at him. His visibly relaxes at the news.

"Please. You cannot tell anyone."

"Your secret is safe with me. She may be my Domina but I would never wish her harm. She has kept me safe and I would return the favor."

Crixus nods his head. "Gratitude." They walk until they arrive just outside of the corridor.

"I shall take my leave." Naevia turns and walks away, going back to the ludus. She arrives back at the bars and tells the guards to summon Tyronius. She can't keep the smile off of her face at the thought of him. He is suddenly before her with a large smile on his face. The guard opens the door and he sweeps her up into his arms in a warm embrace. "It is so nice to see you, Tyronius!"

"The same to you, Naevia." He leads her to their spot underneath the stairs. They picked this spot so if someone should come down, they won't be seen. They sit on the floor and she leans her back against his chest.

"I have wonderful news. Domina says she will allow us to continue to see one another."

"You told her? Why?"

"I can only speak from my experience, but she isn't as bad as everyone believes. Yes, her anger can be swift and punishment harsh but keep her happy and you shall never see that side of her. It also helps to hold her trust." She explains. Tyronius chuckles disbelievingly.

"If you say so. Enough about her, I have something for you."

She smiles brightly. "What is it?" She didn't notice that he had one of his hands behind his back. He moves his hand and reveals a simple bracelet of emeralds and gold. Her hand goes to her mouth in surprise. "It is beautiful!" she says.

"Don't you want to put it on?" he says with a slightly confused look on his face.

She nods enthusiastically. "More than anything. I can't without Domina's permission and she would notice if I wore it." She takes the delicate bracelet in her hand. "Since she knows of us, I will ask her permission. I love it. Gratitude for thinking of me."

"You're all I think about, Naevia. You consume mind like fire." He reaches his hand out and cups her cheek gently. She closes her eyes and leans into his touch. Tyronius begins to slowly lean in towards her lips and she decides to meet him halfway. Their lips touch in a sweet kiss that promises so much more to come.

Crixus takes a pouch from his subligaria and begins to slowly walk into the corridor, studying the statues as he walks. He comes across Lucretia standing beside a statue. She is dressed in a red robe and her blonde hair is flowing freely down her back.

She turns towards him with an alluring smile on her face. "Did you know that the sound of your very footsteps moisten my thighs?"

Crixus smiles back. "Is that so? Well, I would have them dripping even more."

Lucretia starts slinking towards him when she notices his hands are behind his back. "What are you clutching?" she asks in amusement.

"Ah, but it is a surprise." He says as he starts walking towards her. "Close your eyes." She grins as she closes her eyes and she can feel when he is directly in front of her. She can hear him moving something around and as she is just about to ask what it is, he whispers, "Open your eyes." Lucretia slowly opens her eyes to find a beautiful necklace in his hands. It's made of many opals trimmed with gold on a delicate chain. Her hands cover her mouth in surprise.

She beams at him with joy as she says, "Oh, Crixus….it's beautiful!" She turns around and moves her hair to the side as she says, "Put it on." He moves behind her and snaps the necklace around her neck. He wraps his arms around her so that her back is leaning against his chest.

"Does it please you?" He asks as he presses a kiss to her hair.

"Yes, thank you." She replies and turns her head to give him a quick kiss on the lips. "I shall never remove it."

"Won't that arouse the suspicion of Dominus? He will think you spent unnecessary coin on it."

Lucretia shrugs. "I'll tell him it was my mother's. What could he say about that?" She turns in his arms and wraps hers around his neck. "How should I thank you for such a wonderful gift?"

"I can think of many ways..." Crixus says as he begins kissing her neck.

"Mmmmm…that feels nice" she moans softly. She tilts his head up to meet hers in a fierce kiss and pushes him back into a wall. She slides her hand down until she is groping his hard erection in her hands. She pushes the cloth to the floor, never releasing his lips and starts moving her hand up and down. He groans into her mouth and starts palming one of her breasts. She breaks the kiss and kisses his neck softly and trails her lips to his chest. She kisses her way down his toned chest as she moves to kneel on the ground.

She looks up, her blue eyes full of lust, and catches his gaze as she moves her hand to the base of his shaft. Her eyes do not waver from his as she slowly envelopes him into her mouth, going as far down as she can. He groans loudly as soon as he feels her take him into her wet mouth. She begins to set a groove and enthusiastically bobs her head up and down the length of him. He closes his eyes at the intense feeling of pleasure and begins running his fingers through her hair. She is enjoying the groans of pleasure he is making and can feel how wet she is becoming at the thought that she is the one causing his groans of delight. She reaches down and begins to rub her clit and moans in pleasure against him.

"Fuck!" he exclaims as he tilts his head back in pleasure. **I cannot wait any longer; I must have her** he thinks as he quickly pulls her off the floor and lifts her up. Her legs instantly wrap around him and he presses her against the wall. He starts kissing her neck and licks his way to her ear as he places his hands between their bodies and runs a finger against her wet heat; she whimpers at his touch. "Did giving me pleasure please you? You're wet to the touch." He breathes warmly into her ear. She shivers with desire.

"Yes!" she breathes out as he teases her with his finger. She squirms against him and exclaims, "Crixus, I cannot wait! I need you within me!" He obliges and plunges himself deep into her. They both moan loudly at the contact. He begins a steady pace of thrusts, enjoying the cries escaping from her lips at every movement of his hips.

"On-on the fl-floor." She pants. He moves away from the wall and sits them down on the floor and lies back until his bare back hits the floor. His hands move to hold her hips as Lucretia begins to ride him. He helps guide her hips up and down on top of him and starts to thrust upwards as hard as he could. Lucretia gasps sharply when she felt him lift her and slam her back down onto his hard length. "Unnnhhh!" She matches him, thrust for thrust, and loud moans continue to fall from her parted lips. **Fuck, that feels good. I've never felt this with Quintus**.

 **She is a vision from the Gods** Crixus thinks as he watches her as she continues to ride him; her breasts bouncing with every thrust, her eyes closed and her head thrown back in pure ecstasy . Her cries are getting louder and he knows she is close. A few more thrusts and her walls tighten around him causing him to orgasm with a groan. She collapses on top of him, panting wildly and places a kiss to his chest. He wraps his arms around her and plants a kiss to her temple.

"I was not expecting that. That was a great way to thank me." He chuckles and she can feel it rumble through his chest.

"It was my pleasure." She smiles. She lays there listening to his heartbeat, beating wildly within his chest, until it returns to normal. She climbs off of him and holds a hand out for him to grasp and pull himself up. He dresses and she pulls her robe around herself and runs her fingers through her hair. "Crixus, what can you tell me about Tyronius, when his off the sands?"

His brows furrow, "Tyronius? He's an honorable man. Why do you ask?"

"Naevia has taken to him and I wanted to be sure he was worth our time and not some worthless piss ant." She says as she walks to him and puts her arms around his waist and lays her head on his shoulder. He returns the embrace and sighs.

"Naevia tells me she knows of our secret." he says.

"Yes. I know I can trust her and I grew tired of not having someone to talk to." He ponders this for a moment.

"Would you be opposed to me telling Barca?" She lifts her head to look him in the eyes.

"Are you sure his tongue would not be loose?"

Crixus nods his head. "Barca would not tell a soul. It is my business and he respects that."

"I trust your judgment." She smiles at him. She notices movement from the corner of her eye and turns her head to see Naevia at the entrance of the corridor. "Your escort awaits, my love. Until next time…" she kisses him gently.

"I count the minutes until I can hold you again." He smiles and walks towards Naevia.

"I'll be in the bedroom, Naevia."

"Yes, Domina." She and Crixus exit the corridor and Lucretia walks to her bedroom. She stretches out on the bed and awaits Naevia's return. When Naevia finally walks in the door, Lucretia sits up and looks at her as she moves to stand in front of the bed. She takes note of her plump lips and knows hers must look the same.

"Tell me. Did you have a nice meeting with Tyronius?" she says as she taps her finger against her lips.

"Yes, Domina. I enjoyed it very much." She says as she plays with her hands and a blush arises on her cheeks.

"Why do you act nervous?" Lucretia says as she scrutinizes her.

"Well…..I was given a gift tonight." Lucretia lifts a brow. "One that I explained I cannot fully accept without your permission, of course, Domina." She adds.

"I see. What is it?" Naevia brings the bracelet from inside her dress and holds it out for Lucretia to inspect. Lucretia takes the bracelet and chuckles at the thought that she and Naevia both received gifts on this night. "It is very beautiful. You may wear it." She says and hands the bracelet back to Naevia.

Naevia's eyes light up. "You mean it, Domina?" she then slightly frowns. "Oh…but won't Dominus be angry?" She knows of their money problems and is worried the jewelry will cause an argument.

"I'll tell him the same thing I will about my own gift." Lucretia says as she plays with her necklace. Naevia beams with happiness and puts the bracelet on her wrist.

"Thank you, Domina! Oh, this means so much to me!"

Lucretia smiles at her. "You see to your duties well. I see no reason to not reward you. Now, help me dress for bed."

Later on that night, Lucretia lays in bed reflecting on all the changes in her life. **I find myself changing in the most unexpected ways…it's all Crixus's influence. I rather like who I'm becoming. The problem being is that who I am becoming doesn't fit with who Quintus is…and I don't know what to feel about that.** She sighs heavily and turns onto her side. **Do I love him? Yes. Am I still in love with him?** Her thoughts are interrupted when Quintus strolls into the room, finished with his dealings in The Pits. "Do you plan to return to The Pits?" she asks.

"They fill our hands with coin—with yet more to be mined." He says as he sits on the bed. She looks at him incredulously.

"And what when the shaft caves in on you? What then?" She decides to press on his fears. "You know the law. Without an heir, I'd be forced to marry another. Is that what you want? Someone else's hands upon me?" **They already are** her inner voice chimes.

"I want everything!" he exclaims. She says nothing as she sits up in bed to sit beside him. "When Spartacus ends, so does my time in The Pits. Till then, his victories swell our purse." He turns his head to face her and takes notice of the necklace around her neck. He palms the necklace and then tosses it back onto her neck. "Which you deflate with new purchases!" he exclaims as he reclines back onto the bed.

"What? This? Its rediscovery today pleased me. It was my mother's, lost among her things." She lies. "Perhaps we should return the emerald necklace I bought. It was excessive and if the coin will help speed you from The Pits-"

"Keep them both." He says as he sits up. "I will not have my wife return jewelry. It's embarrassing. Come, let us lie down." He says and pulls her to him as they lie back. Lucretia's mind is racing as she lies within his arms. **At least he believed my lie. I feel so out of place next to him. I want Crixus….**

The next day, Lucretia decides to go to the market to sell the emerald necklace. They need the coin and the necklace is of no value to her, unlike the one that rests on her neck. She and Naevia seek out the merchant she purchased the necklace from. She spots him nearby and walks in his direction when she sees a beggar on the corner. She turns to Naevia and holds out her hand and Naevia places a few denarii in her hand. She places the coin into the offering dish and continues on her way.

"Good sir!" she says as she walks up.

"Ah, the wife of Batiatus. What can I do for you today, madam?" She produces the necklace and gives it to him.

"I seek to sell this back to you. It's the piece I bought for the reception we held."

"Yes, I remember." He replies. He also remembers her threat. He holds the necklace up, thinking of what he should offer to her, if he should even make her an offer considering how she treated him. Lucretia sits impatiently, fanning herself to keep cool.

"Would you have me bake in the sun or offer a price?" she finally says.

"Fourteen denarii." He offers. She can't believe what she just heard.

"Fourteen? That's half of what I paid for it not long ago."

"Used gems fail to command full value." He says snidely. She is about to respond when Solonius suddenly appears.

"Oh, in the business of jewelry, perhaps." He says as he approaches.

 **For fucks sake. Could this not be humiliating enough? Returning jewelry for coin and this fuck has to stumble upon me doing so?** She thinks to herself.

"A beautiful piece." He says as he inspects the necklace. "Allow me to buy from you. At full price."

"You have a woman in mind who might favor it, Solonius?"

"Indeed. She stands before me." He says as he moves to stand behind her. "A vision. Take it. And keep your emeralds. The thought of them against your skin warms mine."Her skin crawls with the insinuation.

"Perhaps you mistake the heat of the sun." she turns back to the merchant. "I'll have your offer."

Solonius smiles at her refusal. "Pride. Always part of your considerable attraction."

"A trait which yet endures me to my husband." **I'll say anything to make him take his leave.**

"How is he fairing these days? Beloved Ovidius mentioned something about his men fighting in The Pits."

Lucretia is silent for a moment, processing the fact that people know of her husband's dealings in The Pits. "It's a temporary measure." She says.

"Oh, to be sure." Solonius says disbelievingly. "I pray fortune swiftly returns to his favor, so we may battle once again in the arena. With honor." He sneers as he walks away.

"Fourteen denarii." The merchant says as he holds the bag of coin in the air.

Lucretia snatches it from his hand. "May the Gods shrivel your cock."

Back at the ludus, the men are on break from training. Crixus and Barca stand together making conversation about Spartacus. They notice Pietros approaching Spartacus and giving him food and water.

"Pietros!" Barca calls out. "Get away from him!" Pietros does as he is told and walks away, shooting a look at Barca as he passes them.

"Your boy fancy the Thracian, does he?" Crixus says with a smirk.

Barca laughs, "My cock keeps him well filled." Crixus laughs at his reply and soon they hear another laugh join with theirs. Their laughter stops as Ashur approaches.

"The Beast of Carthage! I've always wondered how you acquired that name."

"If you have words of purpose, speak them." Crixus says impatiently.

"I was merely curious, Crixus. The gift I procured for you, did it satisfy its intent?" Crixus's jaw clenches with barely controlled rage.

"Gift?" Barca questions.

"Yeah. An opal necklace of the finest—"He is cut off as Crixus violently grabs him and pulls him close.

"Your tongue rattles too freely in your mouth! Secure it or it will join that useless leg of yours!" Crixus harshly whispers the threat in his ear and pushes him to the ground.

"Apologies. The question was born of goodwill, I assure you."

"Well, you can stick your goodwill in your ass." Crixus says as he kicks him in the leg as he passes. **Fucking Syrian cunt.**

"What necklace does the shit speak of?" Barca asks. Crixus sighs and decides now is the best time to tell him.

"Come. Let us have words away from prying ears and loose tongues." He says and leads them away from the others. Barca follows him with a look of worry upon his face. When they are far enough away, he turns to Barca. "I did purchase a necklace from that shit."

"I gathered as much. For who?"

 **Just say it**. "It was for Lucretia." Barca's brows furrow in confusion before understanding dawns on him.

"You mad fuck! Do you wish for your cock to be removed from your balls?!" Barca whispers furiously.

"Calm yourself. No one will find out as long as you keep your tongue from speaking it."

"You can't keep it from everyone, Crixus!"

"We've kept it a secret for three summers and have yet to be caught."

"Dominus will have you both killed should he find out. Is she worth it?" Barca asks.

"She is worth the world and much more. I would give my life for hers in an instant." Crixus says with a small smile. "Wouldn't you do the same for Pietros?"

Barca sighs. "I would do anything for him." He says seriously. "Since you've shared your secret it's only right for me to return the gesture." Crixus folds his arms and raises an eyebrow. "I seek to purchase freedom for myself and Pietros."

"Wow. I never would have thought you to seek freedom. You revel in the glory of the arena."

"A fact well known among many but I wish for more. More than this ludus can offer. Tell me, if given the chance, you would not seek your own freedom?"

Crixus looks down at the sand and ponders this for a moment. "I would…but not without her by my side."

"You know that could never be."

"Then I guess it is my fate to remain a gladiator." Crixus says sternly. They are interrupted by Quintus as he orders Barca to prepare Spartacus for the games that night.

"Yes, Dominus!" Barca replies. "Duty calls." He says to Crixus and walks away.

Later, Quintus and Ashur are in his office counting the coin Spartacus earned in The Pits. "Spartacus handsomely returns."

"Will the sum balance our debts?" Quintus inquires.

Ashur continues to count the coin. "The scales are well nudged-but balanced? No." he replies honestly.

Quintus sighs in frustration. "Pay out the most egregious but leave Ovidius with empty fucking hands."

"Ovidius?" Lucretia questions as she steps into the room, Naevia trailing behind her. The men did not notice her presence, or the pouch she held within her hands. They look up from counting as she speaks. "The Magistrate's cousin?" Ashur then notices the necklace upon her neck and everything clicks together in his mind. He says nothing as he continues to count.

"You should be in bed. The hour is late." Quintus responds.

"And our debts to follow." She says as she moves further into the room. "If money is owed to Ovidius—"

He cuts her off with agitation. "Then it will be paid, in due course. The man offered me insult and I won't reward it with swift coin."

"Is that wise?" she says, her voice filled with worry. "If he complains to the Magistrate, I worry—"

He cuts her off again. "I am the paterfamilias, the worry is mine alone!" irritation lacing his voice.

She stares at him coolly. "Is that how you woke this morning? Alone? Was I not by your side?" she says as she throws the coin pouch onto the desk and storms out of the room.

"Lucretia!" he calls out and picks up the pouch, realizing it was filled with coin. "How did you come to possess these coins?! Lucretia!" he yells after her as he stands and walks to catch up with her. She ignores him for a moment before answering.

"From the merchant, if you must know. In exchange for the emerald necklace."

"I commanded you to do no such thing!" he says angrily. She turns towards him sharply.

"Commanded?! You mistake me for a slave." She says disdainfully as she stalks away from him. He follows and tries to touch her shoulder and she shakes it from his grasp.

"You know my intentions better." He says as he grabs her elbow to stop her from walking away.

"Do I? I'm beginning to know them less and less." She says doubtfully and pulls away from him and continues towards the bedroom.

Quintus stands there with his fists clenched, seething in anger. "FUCK!" he shouts.

The next night, an incident occurs while Spartacus was fighting in The Pits. Two men made an attempt on Quintus's life. Barca killed the one who attacked first and the second man blindsided Quintus and sliced his stomach as he fell to the ground. Spartacus quickly kills his opponent and then hurls his weapon at the man who attacked Quintus and killed him instantly. The crowd cheers at the violence and Quintus shares a look with Spartacus. Ashur and Barca drag the bodies of the men outside while Quintus paces and ponders who would try to kill him. He's panicking not only due to the attack but because he just wagered a lot of coin against Spartacus in the fight; he was supposed to die per their deal.

Ashur rolls one of the men over and notices the mark on his back. "Their flesh carries a brand, Dominus."

"Of what origin?" he demands as he holds his hand to his wound.

"Unfamiliar, but certainly the mark of a slave."

"Slaves? They send common fucking slaves to kill Batiatus?!" he roars with rage as he kicks the dead slave repeatedly. "FUCK!" he yells as he feels a sharp pain coming from his wound. "Discover their master." He grunts in pain. "I wish to have words with him. Get rid of this trash." He spits on one of the bodies and limps away.

Quintus cleaned up his wound and put a loose dressing on it and limps his way to the bedroom where he finds Lucretia saying a prayer. He sits on the bed and watches her complete her prayer. "Juno's lips, Juno's heart, Juno's belly..." she finishes, lighting a candle. She turns to face him as he shifts on the bed and winces in pain. "Let me look at that." She says as she kneels on the ground and begins to undress the wound. "Who did this so we can respond with death?"

"The agents have already been dispatched to the Underworld. The hand behind them yet to be revealed."

"I warned you of the dangers of The Pits."

"I had thought to erase all our debts through them after tonight. Spartacus offered terms to see it so." She pauses and removes her hands from the bandage.

"What terms?" she questions.

"His willing death to wager upon. Locating his wife the crux of the bargain."

She breathes a sigh of relief. "The Thracian is dead?"

"No, he yet lives." Her face falls. "And the wager is lost."

"How much?" she whispers.

"A substantial sum."

"We don't have it!" Lucretia cries out, panic rising to the surface. "That Thracian—"she spat. "He brings nothing but shame on our house!"

"Were it not for him, you would be a widow." He says trying to calm her down. "He saved my life in The Pits this night."

"A place you would **never** have been if it weren't for him! He is cursed; he is cursed by the Gods. I would see his life ended as it should have been when he stepped into the arena, doomed for execution! Every day that the Thracian yet lives I fear that his curse will become our own." She says vehemently.

"I agree with you. That said he saved my life, Lucretia. I'm reinstating him as a gladiator." He says as he slowly stands and redresses the wound with a wince. "I'll go tell him the news." He makes his way out of the room, leaving her kneeling on the floor.

She pulls herself up onto the bed and sits in shock for a moment. "What a fucking mess…" she whispers to herself.

The sun has raised high in the sky and Quintus is anxiously waiting in his office for Ashur and Bara's return. Footsteps approach and he stands from is chair as guards escort Ashur and Barca into the room. They have been searching for answers since before the sun rose this morning. "Ah! So, who is the sneaky fuck with the slaves? I trust you have answer."

Ashur steps forward. "Yes, Dominus. The slaves were tracked to a man by the name of Remus." Quintus nods his head.

"Bring him around. I'd like to have conversation."

"Yes, Dominus." They both answer. They turn to leave but stop as Quintus speaks.

"Barca, you can continue on for a moment. Prepare anything you need to bring our friend in for a chat in the tunnels. Ashur, stay behind."

"Yes, Dominus." Barca says and exits the room with the guards. Quintus claps Ashur on the shoulder.

"That thing is removed from your leg soon, yes?" he inquires.

"Yes, Dominus. Very soon. In which, can I make a request?

"Go on."

"After it is removed, I wish to return to the sands as a gladiator. I want to honor this house in the best way I know. I long for the arena." He pleads with hope in his eyes.

"Ah, but that is what I wished to speak to you about. I don't want you to fight anymore."

Ashur visibly deflates. "But Dominus—that is the best way to honor you! I relish the fight."

"I know you do. It is not the only way to honor me. No, you have too much cunning for the sands. I want you to remain by my side as trusted ear. You have not yet earned a permanent residence inside the villa, but there is room for growth. You may, however, come and go as you please and no longer need an escort to do so." Ashur is still slightly distraught by the news that he would not be returning to gladiator status but he is happy with his new position. He gives thought to what this could mean and starts planning out some ideas.

"Thank you, Dominus. It is an honor." He says with a slight bow of his head. Quintus smiles and pats him on the shoulder.

"Think nothing of it. You show great loyalty and I will have that loyalty rewarded. Now, go meet with Barca and locate that piece of shit Remus."

"Yes, Dominus." Ashur says and exits the room.

Quintus takes a deep breath and runs his hand over his head. "I will have my revenge." He says with a laugh and sets out to find Lucretia before the Magistrate arrives.


End file.
